Means for controlling the speed of trains.



L. W. HORNE & W. N. CRANE.

MEANS FOR CONTROLLI'NG HIE SPEED oVTRAlNs.

APPLICATION yFILED FEB. .19. 1915.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

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QIMISES @y M Unirse, sacarse LAwiaENcn W. Homin, or Woonnnen, .snp

"WARREN N. CRANE, OF RIDGFIELD PARK, NEVI JERSEY.

MEANS FOR CQNTROLLING THE Application sie@ February ie, wie` spectively, county of Bergen, town of Woodridge, State of New Jersey, and county of Bergen, town of Ridgefield Park, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Iinprovementsin Means for Conv transformers and 'tion one tothe otl will be fully progresses. B6

trollingy the'Speed of Trains, of which the following is a specification.

This inventionisla further `advance in an art that has been developed by ourselves and others through the medium of a series of steps inore or less closely associated.

ln this application be found that have been previouslyused-in a very similar manner but whereas in the past we have principally -confined oui-selves to devices working throughmagnetic attraction and direct current electroniagnets, in this invention alternating current i's used, and in lieu of electromagnetic attraction we obtain our control and the operation of theparts by transformed currents varying accoi-ding to' the operative conditions of the particularly by their relaier,

lVe do not however desire tunderstood that we change the positions of the transformers lbut we do change surrounding conditions in a manner and `for a reason ythat set forth as the specification The following is what I consider the best 'means of carrying out this invention and,

The accompanying drawings form a part of this` specification in which` Figure l shows in elevation, partly in plan our complete device. l

Fig. 2 shows-in section a portion of a rail position of the Fig. 3 shows` a diagram of the arrangement of our device in relation to a track.

*Similar reference numerals indicate like parts in all the figures where they appear.

(ui' device.operates in conjunction with the train line air pipe and the primary object of the invention is to lower the pressure and apply they brakes by discharging the air from the train line air pipe. under predeterniined conditionsl or ata linie when it is desirable to do so.

Specification f Letters Patent.

certain portions will SPEED 0F TRAINS.

Serial No. 3,433.

mayl discharge, into the atmosphere. Arf' ranged between these two members'is an electromagnetically operated valve indicated at 3 and having suitable electiiciil-connection bymeans of which the operation of the valve is controlled. Another electrically operated valve is shown at et, and is 'by the means of the pipe 5 and reducing valve 6 connected to a suitable source of air supply` such as the reservoir.

From this secondvalve 4 a pipe 8 leads to a timing cylinder 7 through a vspeed regulating valve 9 and a piston 10 operated in one direction by a spring 1l is yadapted to be forced downward by air entering-throiwh the pipe 8 and speed controlling valve 9, the rapidity of the movement of the piston l0 beingry determined by the quantityof air passinpT through the port of the valve-9.

At 12 we showen alternating current. 'enerator capable of (.lelivering;r to other portions of our device ra sufficient electric current.

l-rt 13 we indicate a section of rail which may 'be of ordinary` shape, weight and strength 'but we desire that this particular section of rail should be -what isl termed manganese or non-magnetic rail.

Thus far we have indicated what might be termed purely mechanical devices and now so that the separate parts and their op? eration may be fully understood we will detail the peculiar requirements that we expect to fulfil including as we progress the particular portions of our mechanism upon which we willl depend to accomplish the de- -sirable results.

v Vlie arrange an alternating current generator l2 and` we prefer to provide an independent ineans for drivingY the Agenerator 12. itrrangred low down on the locomotive and adjacent to the running rail is a transformer which consists of a primar)Y 'l-l` and parallel secendaries l5 and it?. It will lie noted that this transformer is of an open core type and by its arrai'igeinent in close proximity to a running rail it will he appreciattal that an ordinary steel rail will act. as the armature or .core bridge of the transformer. The primary ll of thc transfoi'iiier is connected across the leads froin the `generator .12 so that the primar)v 14 will lie energized at all times during the operation of the gcnf Patented Feb. ii, wie..

era-tor 12. 1t will also be noted that the valves 3 and 1lare energizei'i troni the generator 12, but that the circuits through the valves are retained by means of a relay 17, which is in turn energized from the secondaries 15 and 1G. It will be understood that nndei normal conditions and when the transformer 14, 15 and 1G ,is passing over an ordinary steel rail, the current induced in the .secondaries 15 and 1G because ot' the presence of the steel rail'and the resultant shortening of the air gap in the magnetic field, will retain the armature of the relay 17 elevated closing the circuit between the contact 153 andthe terminal 19. Now, however should the transformer pass over a nonmagnetic section of rail thev` absence of a magnetic path between the primary and secondaries of the transformer will lower the voltage of the current induced in Vthe sec ondaries 15 and 1G to such an extent that the relay 17 energized thereby will ind itself unable to retain the armature in a position to close the contact 18 with the terminal 19. The opening of this circuit will interrupt the sustaining circuit through the valve l with the result that this valve will open and air will be admitted through the reservoir pipe .5, @ie reducing valve 6, the pipe 8, velocity controlling device 9 into the timing,T cylinder 7 depressing' the piston 10 and in terrupting the circuits 20 and 21 through the disk 22. By the time the piston 10 has moved to an extent suflicient to displace the disk 22, the transformer will have reached a magnetic section ol rai'l and the circuit through the relay 17 will be closed, but the circuit through the contacts 25-26 being broken by the movement of the valve Il this valve will remain open until the circuit therethrough is closed by the disk 22 'reach ing the contacts 23 and 2.1 which reestablish the circuit through the valve al closing the valve. The piston 10 may then return to its normal condition. lts return interrupts the circuit through the contacts 23 and 24. but

the interruption having no effect as the c1r cuit throi'igh the valve l is maintained through its own disk 27 which has,'by the closing of the circuit tl'irough 23 and 24, been caused to close the circuit through the contacts 25 and 26.

Let us consider that a non-magnetic section has caused an interruption of the current through the valve l and that air entering the pipe 8 is forcing the piston downward, thus causing disk 22 to interrupt circuit to the valve Disk 22 will gradually return after it has established the circuit to valve-4. The complete. downward and return move ment of the disk 22 consumes a definite time and should the transformer reach a over a second nominagnetic rail b timing; operation has been completed the circuit. through the valve 3 will be open and the i'elcase of the air from this valve will so lower the pressure of the train line air pipe that the brakes will be applied.

vThe first interruption will open the circuit of the relay between 18 and 1,9 thus operating the valve l and opening,r the circuit between 20 and 21 as well as the circuit'between 25 and 2G. The opening of the circuit between 2O and 21 is however, delayed until the piston 10 has moved a predetermined distance downward at which time the piston rod will engage and move the disk An operation which we desire to delay. The reestablishing ot' the circuit between 18 and 19 will not return the parts to their original condition, as we have provided that an element of time shall elapse before the parts are returned to their inoperative position.

The element of time is determined by the i rate of travel ot' the piston 10, the speed of which is controlled by the quantity of' air which is allowed to enter the cylinder 7 through the valve S); a second interruption occurring within the specilied time after the iist, the circuit through the valve 3 will be open and the brakes will be applied.V

le desire that the operation of our device shall be definitely controlled and that operation shall only occur when conditions make them desirable. From the diagram shown in Fig. 3 it will appear that control sections consist of a plurality of nonrmagnetic sections arranged in pairs. The lirst non-magnetic section is indicated at A the second at B, at the lirst'section we may get an interruption through the valve l without effective result it suflicient time is con-- sinned in traveling between lpoints A and B for the piston 10 to fully return or it' the section B is under the control that we will soon describe. i The space .between C and D is shorter than that between A and B and the space between E and F is still shorter than that' between C and D. 1s the time between any two non-magnetic points 'is determined by the piston 10, the closer non.

magnetic sections are to each other the slower must be the speed to avoid an et'- 'ective automatic operation.

lVe avoid an operation of the valve 3 at the sections B, A and F when such is desirable by placing adjacent to each of these sections a laminated core 3() upon which is arranged a plurality of parallel coils'l, 32, 33 and B4, the leads of which terminate in common conductors 35 and 36. A track relay 37 operated from a signal battery r closes the circuit between Ithe conductors :l5 and, or opens it as desired.

'lhe wire used in the coils 31, 32, 33 and 254 is a heavy stranded wire, and when the ends of the coils are disconnected, or the circuit therethrough opened by the relay 37, the only path Vtor the transformer current is the path ot possible leakage through the airvgap, but. when the leads from the coils are connected or short-circuited by the relay 3x7, an etlicient path between the coilsoi'l the transformer isprovided. This path for the transformer current 'probably results from the fact that when the coilsare closed or short-cireuited7 the primary of the transformer induces a current of high ainperage land low voltage in the closed track coils, and these coils, in turn, induce a current ot ll'oiv amperag'e and high voltage in the se"- ondaries of the transformer. I words, the track In other coils serve as `additional transformer coils, so arranged as to shorten the air gap between the priiiiai'y and the secondary of the transformer making the induction of current in the secoiidaries of the transformer moi'e readily possible when the tracli coils or the leads therefrom are closed. i l

For some time past it has been customary -to use manganese frogs and cross-overs in manganese sections will usually be found in both sides of the track. In Fig. l we show a transformer l0 which will. be carried adljacent to the oppositeyor lett handi'ail 13. l`histi'ansformer will be connected iii parallel with tho coils7 lll, 15 and lo'. lirhcu the transformer which ive have numbered Ulis passingr over an ordinary steel rail, the i'ail will otter such a ready path for the primary circuit that the effectiveness of the secondary will be lowered .to a very great` extent.

ll'hcn however the transfoi'inei` 4U is passinjnT over a non-magnetic or manganese section the path for the linduced circuit troni the -priniafry is holding through thc secondary and will produce therein a current sul'iicient to sustain the relay 17 so that the circuit through 1S and lfliwill not be interrupted.

The'arrangement that we have described insures that the two transformers shown shall not operate at the saine time .except at the control sections where an operation is desired. Normally when the transt'oriiicr shown at 14;, 15 and 1G is in operation, transformer shown at -lO is chokedA` and when the transformer shown at l-O is in operative condition. the transforii'ier shown at li, l5

and 1G will ibe found to have its etliciency lowered 'by the absence of .a track or a magnetic i'ail. v

lVhcn the opera-tion of thc speed control magnet.

apparatus is desired althe manganese con-' trol sections it. will bc sccii that the transtoi'inei' it) is choked due to the presence of magnetic metal in thc lett hand rail, and

the etticiency of the transformer 14,115

to the presence of.

and 1GA is lowered due manganeso, or non-niagnetic metal in the right hand rail.

. Having carefully and fully described our invention what we claim and desire to scciii'e by Letters Patent is l. leteans for' controlling' the'speed of .trains comprisingr a plurality of valves7 a transformer the secondary ot Awhich is adapted to control the operation of said valves, a source of current supply for the primary of said traifsfornier.v arail adjacent to said ctransformer and having' dia'- n'iagnetic sections adapted to interrupt tho current induced in the secondary of said transformer to operate said Yalves and means for retainingr said valves inoperative during' the passage of said transfornicr'ovcr diamagnetic sections. f

A deviceot" the character described comprising` a` plurality'of valves and a transformer, means for supplying' current to said valves and to said transformer, means controlled by said transformer for control- .ling the operation olI said valvcs,.a tracl having diamag'iietic sections for varying the current flow through said transformer to lthereby control thc cont-rolling means .for

said valves.

3. A3 device ,of the character described having' in combination a plurality of valves and a primary and secondary current supply, means operated by said secondary cur rent for operating' one ot said valves and a timing cylinder. a piston operable therein controlled by said valve and circuit controlling' means operated by said piston and adapted to control thc operation of the other valve and for the. piii'posc set forth.

fl. A device of thc Ychai'actcidescribed comprising' the combination of a i'ilurality of valves, a timing device adapted to control one of said valves and a transfoiiiicr for coi'itrollinlgr the operation o'l' `both said valves. an armature tor said ti':iiisi"o1iiicr adapted for a` relative motion in relation to said transformer having' ii iiiiiiigiictic sections 'and an induction device havin.;r a ii'iagnctic core and winding' and arranged adjacent to said non-magnetic sections and adapted to have the circuit closed to influence thc operation of said tran-sforiiiei' and to thereby control the operation of .said valves as and for the purpose set forth. p

ieans for controllingt the trains comprising' a plurality of controlling' means and means for controlling' them. said controlling means including a plurality of transformers, a diainagnctic rail approximate to one said transfoi'n'ier for choliii'ifr said transformer to obtain an ettcctive'opcration thereof. and a diamagnctic rail interrupting the path of induction through said therethrough opened or.

speed of i second transformer to obtain' an effective operation thereof.

6. A device of the character described having' a plurality of electrically controlled devices, a plurality of transfornler` in a circuit and controlling said devices, a track having magnetic and diamagnetic Section and adjacent to one said transformer to induce and interrupt a'n induced current through said transformer and a track havingmag nctic and `ilian'lagnetic sections choking the flow of current through. the other transA former and alternately allowing' a clear flow of current through said transformer.

. Signed at New York city, in the county 15 0f New York and Sil-alteI of New York this l 30th day of January 1915.

LAWTRENCE lV. Il() RNE. WARREN N. CRANE. vWitn esses M. E. S'rmnu'r'rn, ARTHUR Primers Mmm. 

